PHOTOS: Neighbors come together to give Grant a splash of color

Will Huffman tries his hand with a paintbrush while Zachary Herrmann waits his turn during the Grant neighborhood mural painting on Sunday, July 3 (Ron Cooper/Salem Reporter)

Neighbors gathered over Fourth of July weekend to paint Salem’s first street mural under a new city program.

The cherry blossom design came from artist Erika Baker, who wanted to have the iconic symbol of spring in Salem last a little longer.

The mural used three colors of paint. It took 30 gallons of specially textured paint to do the mural at an approximate cost of $1,000. Miller Paint helped defray the cost by donating some of the paint.

Muralist Erika Baker applies paint to a large street mural at the intersection of Northeast Belmonts and Cottage streets on Sunday, July 3. Baker created the design for the neighborhood project, the first of its kind in Salem. (Ron Cooper/Salem Reporter)

Alice Herrmann participates in the creation of a giant street mural in the Grant neighborhood on Sunday, July 3 (Ron Cooper/Salem Reporter)

Spectators watch the creation of a giant street mural in the Grant neighborhood on Sunday, July 3 (Ron Cooper/Salem Reporter)

A volunteer painter adds paint to a street mural on Sunday, July 3 (Ron Cooper/Salem Reporter)

Belmont and Cottage Streets were blocked off over the Fourth of July weekend so neighborhood painters could create a giant street mural. (Ron Cooper/Salem Reporter)

A volunteer painter adds paint to a street mural on Sunday, July 3 (Ron Cooper/Salem Reporter)

The finished mural at the intersection of Northeast Belmont and Cottage streets. (Courtesy/Paul Tigan)

STORY TIP OR IDEA? Send an email to Salem Reporter’s news team: [email protected].

JUST THE FACTS, FOR SALEM – We report on your community with care and depth, fairness and accuracy. Get local news that matters to you. Subscribe to Salem Reporter starting at $5 a month. Click I want to subscribe!